Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is about to enter the "No Spin Zone."
The Illinois senator is due to be interviewed by Fox News' Bill O'Reilly, host of the "The O'Reilly Factor," on Thursday, the final night of The Republican National Convention, according to TVNewser.com. I am sure executives at Fox parent company News Corp. (NYSE: NWS) were high-fiving each other when that interview was secured. The clash between the suave Obama and the bellicose O'Reilly will make for interesting television. It will be like a car accident on the highway that people can't help themselves from gawking at.
Maybe Obama views it as a chance to show his supporters that he is not afraid of O'Reilly, who is a pussy cat compared with Russian strongman Vladimir Putin. It's also quite a contrast to the strategy of Republican John McCain, who is keeping the media at an arm's length. His campaign even canceled an interview the candidate had scheduled with CNN's Larry King because it did not like the tough questions anchor Campbell Brown asked its spokesman about the qualifiicaitons of his running-mate Sarah Palin.
Both the Democratic and Republican conventions have been a dream come true for the cable news channels. More people tuned into CNN, which is owned by Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: TWX), for Obama's acceptance than for Fox, MSNBC and the broadcast networks. The address got more viewers than the American Idol final, the Oscars, or the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.
Fox, though, continues to attract more viewers overall, especially during the Republican get-together in St. Paul. General Electric Co.'s (NYSE: GE) MSNBC is gaining viewers too, though some may be curious to see if its feuding on-air personalities will break into a fist fight. All three of the cable news networks are raking in major bucks from those annoying 30-second TV spots that are an unfortunate part of American political life.
A winner has already emerged from the Obama-O'Reilly confrontation before a single punch has been thrown: News Corp. head Rupert Murdoch. The media baron lusts for the power to set the nation's political agenda. Come Thursday night, that's exactly what he will be able to do.
The feud between Fox News' Bill O'Reilly and MSNBC's Keith Olbermann has morphed from a sometimes amusing spat between cable news hosts to a clash of corporate titans.
As Howard Kurtz of the Washington Post notes, O'Reilly has attacked General Electric Co. (NWS: GE) Chief Executive Jeffrey Immelt for being "responsible" for the deaths of soldiers in Iraq because the MSNBC parent does a tiny amount of business with Iran which, apparently, is coming to an end. O'Reilly even sent a crew from "The O'Reilly Factor" to GE's annual meeting in Erie, Penn., to buttonhole Immelt and GE shareholders about the issue. One fund manager even called Immelt a "Benedict Arnold CEO" on the Fox program.
On his show, Olbermann often awards O'Reilly the title of "Worst Person in the World," a bit of shtick that's getting tiresome. Everything that O'Reilly says and does irritates Olbermann. Then again, so does Britney Spears.
But that's not the whole story. Fox News chief Roger Ailes warned NBC Universal head Jeff Zucker that "if Olbermann didn't stop such attacks against Fox, he would unleash O'Reilly against NBC and would use the New York Post as well," according to the Washington Post. This underscores the arguments of liberals and progressives that Fox and The Post are the winged monkeys of their corporate masters at News Corp. (NYSE: NWS). Fox, of course, denies Ailes threatened NBC.
The back and forth between the two media conglomerates shows that nerves are starting to get frayed and that life -- sigh -- is a lot like high school.
This post is part of our Battle of the Brands feature. Let us know which brand you prefer, and check out other Battle of the Brands posts.
The heads of CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC along with their corporate masters at Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: TWX), News Corp. (NYSE: NWS) and General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) must be giggling with delight at the prospect of the Democratic presidential race continuing past the hotly contested race in Pennsylvania.
After all, controversy means more viewers, which of course means more advertising dollars. They probably wish that the Democrats would beat each other up in 30-second TV spots every year, but alas Americans elect a president every four years, which is probably a good thing for everybody. Still, the cable networks are going to ride this gravy train for as long as they can.
Like anything else in cable news, picking a winner in this battle of the brands depends on how you look at it. Fox, the home of Bill O'Reilly and Shepherd Smith, attracted 1.89 million viewers during Monday's prime time, the most of any network, according to Nielsen data cited by TVNewser. CNN attracted 1.03 million on its main network and 572,000 on its Headline News channel, while MSNBC was watched by 676,000.
Before conservatives start declaring Fox the top cable network yet again, remember that statistic does not represent the whole picture. Cable news advertisers are most interested in viewers aged 25 to 54 who are most likely to be interested in buying mutual funds and other products that they are shilling. That's where things get interesting.
In this midst of a tirade about Michelle Obama's comments that "for the first time in my adult lifetime I am really proud of my country," the ever-so-enlightened Bill O'Reilly had this to say:
"I don't want to go on a lynching party against Michelle Obama unless there's evidence, hard facts, that say this is how the woman really feels. If that's how she really feels -- that America is a bad country or a flawed nation, whatever -- then that's legit. We'll track it down."
I've pretty much given up on being shocked by anything O'Reilly says anymore, but I am shocked that he hasn't been fired -- or at least suspended -- over this blatantly offensive and inexcusable remark.
Don Imus was fired for something that was, in my opinion, far less offensive -- and he's an early morning radio shock jock!
It's interesting that News Corp.'s (NYSE: NWS) Fox News apparently has lower standards for its anchors than talk radio.
Media giant News Corp. (NYSE: NWS) and fast-food operator Yum! Brands Inc. (NYSE: YUM) are scheduled to report earnings later today. Here's a quick peek at them ahead of results.
News Corp. has only fallen short of earnings expectations in one of the past eleven quarters. When the company reported fiscal 2008 first-quarter results back in November, earnings came to 23 cents per share, beating the consensus forecast of analysts polled by Thomson Financial by a penny. Earnings were 28 cents per share in the previous quarter, and 19 cents in the first quarter of 2007. For the current quarter, analysts expect earnings of 27 cents per share.
News Corp.'s 26% earnings per share growth forecast for the next year is better than the industry average and the S&P 500. The analysts' consensus recommendation has been to buy News Corp for at least six months. Shares slipped to a 52-week low of $17.84 in January, but closed Friday at $20.01.
For news on MySpace, Fox News, and anything else that could influence the earnings results, see BloggingStocks' NWS coverage.
Time Warner, down 18% this year, trades, at a multiple of 18. Disney, whose shares are little changed, is trading a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 17. News Corp., also little changed, is the most richly valued of the bunch with a forward p/e of 20. All three of them report earnings this week. To put it diplomatically, expectations are low. Disney is probably the most compelling value there because of strong brands and top-flight management.
Revenue at Time Warner is expected to be $1.41 billion, up 14.8% according to analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial. Earnings are expected to be 11 cents compared with 19 cents a year earlier. The stock rose today after the company announced that Jeff Bewkes would replace Richard Parsons as CEO starting next year. Don't expect any big changes at AOL, though. The strategy to turn around the Internet unit was developed by Bewkes. The company will come under pressure to divest AOL and other businesses including publishing. Earnings are due Wednesday.
Disney reports Thursday. Analysts aren't expecting much out of the Mouse House. Revenue is expected to inch up 2.2% to $8.98 billion. Earnings are expected at 41 cents versus 36 cents a year earlier. With the record-low dollar, the company's Theme Parks are dirt-cheap for foreign tourists. Earnings also should be helped by the "High School Musical" franchise and a solid performance by the ABC Television network.
There will be plenty of talk about the acquisition of Dow Jones & Co. (NYSE: DJ) on Thursday's News Corp. earnings conference call. There will also be discussion about the surging popularity of Facebook. Though so far the Fox Business Network has underwhelmed critics, Murdoch will no doubt put a positive spin on the channel's debut. Revenue for the quarter is expected to increase 9.6% to $6.48 billion. Earnings are pegged at 23 cents versus 19 cents a year earlier.
As Doug wrote this past Monday, NBC and Fox launched Hulu, where you can watch television series, shows and even feature-length films from the two networks. With Apple, Inc.'s (NASDAQ: AAPL) iTunes, Amazon's (NASDAQ: AMZN) Unbox and Google, Inc.'s (NASDAQ: GOOG) YouTube, is this launch even necessary? If so, why now?
Well, the television studios do not want to become irrelevant in the age of online video. Too late. There are certain generations who will watch television shows in front of the standard boob tube (the same demographic that seeks out physical newspapers instead of Google News), while other generations will, in the future, watch most of their video online. The Hulu venture is basically television transferred to the internet -- it will be free and ad-supported, just like traditional over-the-air television (sans cable or satellite). But when two competitors join hands to make it happen, red flags start going up. Is there single management of the content? What agenda is there?
And, should YouTube be worried? YouTube is nowhere close to being a broadcast television replacement, with its small-size and substandard video and mono audio. That doesn't mean the technical capability could not be there soon to leapfrog those current limitations and deliver a complete and entertaining experience that would engage each viewer. Google may already be working on this. Say it with me: YouTube 2.
The Washington Post reports that News Corp's (NYSE: NWS) Fox News was among the news agencies that downloaded an al-Qaeda video that was leaked by the U.S. government, and in so doing unveiled a security hole in al-Qaeda's network that permanently damages a valuable source of information about its plans.
According to the article, many news agencies downloaded transcripts of the video, but Fox News cited the source, effectively closing that avenue of information for good.
A little background is in order here. Search for International Terrorist Entities (SITE) was established in 2002 to track and expose terrorist groups. According to the Post piece, SITE obtained a new Osama bin Laden video ahead of its official release last month, and around 10 a.m. on September 7, it notified the Bush administration, giving two senior U.S. officials access on the condition that they not reveal what they had until al-Qaeda had officially released the broadcast. But by mid-afternoon that day, the video and a transcript of its audio track had been leaked from within the Bush administration to media outlets. Fox News had the transcripts up and sourced to SITE by 3 p.m.
Fox News' Bill O'Reilly stirred up a hornets nest in the mainstream media when he attempted to give a compliment to Sylvia's, a famous restaurant in Harlem, saying: "It was like going into an Italian restaurant in an all-white suburb in the sense of people were sitting there, and they were ordering and having fun."
Was the host of the "O'Reilly Factor" expecting a drive-by shooting before the main course was served, or for his fellow diners to start spontaneously rapping? Believe it or not, he dined at Sylvia's with the Rev. Al Sharpton and even picked up the check.
What O'Reilly said was obviously stupid, but is it any dumber than the other stuff he says on his broadcast? Media Matters, the liberal media watchdog group he despises, has compiled a list of his racially insensitive remarks here, which shows O'Reilly's comments on his radio show on September 19 were par for the course.
I am amazed that people are amazed by Bill O'Reilly. Evey time O'Reilly shoots off his mouth or bullies someone, people always act like something new has happened. It seems like they've never watched his show or even heard of the guy. That's why people who suggest O'Reilly is in hot water for his remarks about Sylvia's are wrong. His inflammatory rhetoric is still ratings gold. Why would News Corp. (NYSE: NWS) honcho Rupert Murdoch punish O'Reilly for being himself?
By the way, some enterprising promoter should book Sharpton and O'Reilly on the rubber chicken circuit. You can bet that some business groups would pay big bucks to have these two titans debate each other over the pressing issues of the day like rock'em sock'em robots. I sure would want to attend that conventions.
The Associated Press reports that News Corp.'s (NYSE: NWS) Fox News Network plans to launch Fox Business Network (FBN) to compete with General Electric's (NYSE: GE) NBC Universal's CNBC on October 15. Will the two really compete? CNBC targets upscale investors while FBN says it's targeting Main Street.
One interesting detail in this article is that Dow Jones & Company's (NYSE: DJ) arrangement with CNBC -- giving it exclusive access to the Wall Street Journal until 2012 -- only covers business-related news. This allows FBN to use Journal coverage of other areas such as Washington and lifestyle topics.
I think CNBC will feel threatened by FBN and continue to respond by offering conservative-leaning and big-business-boosterish coverage. Meanwhile FBN will use its well-practiced brand of Amen Chorus stories that both demonize the enemy -- in this case CNBC -- while appearing to support the voiceless, powerless little guy. If I ran CNBC, I would focus primarily on giving my core audience more of what it wants and not try to imitate FBN through patriotic-sounding stories.
Advertisers will pay a premium to access CNBC's upscale viewers and GE cannot afford to lose those dollars.
Suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick's best chance at public redemption lies with Oprah Winfrey. At least that's the conclusion of Detroit Free Press columnist Drew Sharp, who makes a convincing argument that "now that pop culture dictates news judgment, it's only appropriate that a pop culture diva quite possibly holds the key to Michael Vick's NFL future."
Vick should take Sharp's advice. If Vick goes on Oprah, his handlers would no doubt encourage him to cry, talk about "finding Jesus" and encourage young people to make smart decisions. Unfortunately for Vick, the road to redemption starts with the talk show queen. Vick will have to spend the next few months apologizing until the American public is sick of seeing his face.
The question for Vick's handlers is where to go after Oprah.
What about the morning shows? You can bet that ABC, General Electric Co.'s (NYSE: GE) NBC and CBS Corp. (NYSE: CBS) would kill to land an interview with the disgraced athlete. "Dateline" and "60 Minutes" are probably working on stories about the evils of dog fighting. The story also continues to be the gift that keeps on giving for Time Warner Inc.'s (NYSE: TWX) CNN, Fox News channel, and MSNBC.
But I am not sure that all of the apologizing in the world can save Vick's NFL career. People understand that young, rich athletes misbehave and occasionally break the law. But Vick's behavior was so heinous that it defies explanation.
News Corp.'s (NYSE: NWS) Fox News Channel (FNC) has admitted defeat in the field of political satire. That's because, according to MediaBistro, it will shut down its short-lived attempt to satirize Viacom Inc.'s (NYSE: VIA) Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.
The TV news satire show which airs Sunday nights, first aired February 18 with more than 1.4 million viewers. But it has fallen back to an average of 258,000 viewers in its last 10 airings -- while still leading its time slot in every airing except one. FNC will air the final show September 16.
What happened? I don't really know why FNC is canceling the show if it was so successful. And since I've only seen a few clips, I can say that I found those clips to be unfunny. I think Stewart and Colbert satirize what passes for "fair and balanced" reporting on FNC.
And I think it would be pretty hard for any media outlet to do a good job of both creating the object of satire and to make viewers laugh at a satire of the satire of that object.
Liberals from the coffee houses of Cambridge to the wine bars of San Francisco cackled with joy when they learned that Fox News had shelved the 1/2 Hour News Hour, the News Corp.'s (NYSE: NWS) channel's clone of The Daily Show.
As TV Newser points out, Fox Senior Vice President Bill Shine told staff in a memo that. "There is still a chance you will see the program at some point in the future." The Web site pointed out that the program had its fans, winning its timeslot all but once.
So, why cancel it then?
The anonymous folks on TV Newser's discussion boards certainly didn't find it amusing and suggest that its ratings plunged after an initial spike. The clip I heard on Fox's Web site, which doesn't provide any links to the show on its home page, didn't tickle my funny bone. Neither did the clip on YouTube featuring the always amusing Rush Limbaugh as president and Ann Coulter as vice president.
Jon Stewart probably didn't lose too much sleep worrying about this show.
Fret not conservatives, comedy hasn't died completely on Fox News. Those hysterical cutups Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly aren't going anywhere. I'm sure that Neil Cavuto will keep the laughs coming on the yet-to-be launched Fox Business Network.
Maybe Fox will replace 1/2 Hour News Hour with Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld. Red Eye routinely wins the coveted 2 a.m. drunk/insomniac timeslot. Gutfeld is conservative, goofy and at times pretty funny. His program deserves a spot in your DVR though it too isn't on Fox News' home page.
John Edwards has attacked Senator Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama for accepting donations from News Corp. (NYSE: NWS) and Rupert Murdoch. Here's a sampling of his rhetoric:
"News Corp's purchase of the Dow Jones Co. and The Wall Street Journal shouldbe the last straw when it comes to media consolidation. I'm challenging every Democratic presidential candidate to refuse contributions from News Corp executives and return any they've already taken, beginning with Rupert Murdoch."
"John Edwards will never ask Rupert Murdoch for money -- he won't accept his money."
"The basis of a strong democracy begins and ends with a strong, unbiased and fair media –- all qualities which are pretty hard to subscribe to Fox News and News Corp. It's time for all Democrats, including those running for president, to stand up and speak out against this merger and other forms of media consolidation."
But according to DealBook, "News Corporation claims that its publishing unit, HarperCollins, paid Mr. Edwards a $500,000 advance -- and $300,000 in expenses -- for his 2006 book, Home: The Blueprints of Our Lives.
Oops. Don't you hate it when you get caught?
And as for "speaking out against this merger," hasn't Mr. Edwards heard of the free market? If Rupert Murdoch wants to buy Dow Jones (NYSE: DJ), and Dow Jones wants to sell, how or why should it be blocked? It's really not an anti-trust case at all, as far as I've heard.
The only thing more hypocritical than this would be if Mr. Edwards spoke out about poverty but worked at a hedge fund for a large salary. Oh wait ...
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is about to enter the "No Spin Zone."
The feud between Fox News' Bill O'Reilly and MSNBC's Keith Olbermann has morphed from a sometimes amusing spat between cable news hosts to a clash of corporate titans.
This post is part of our 
In this midst of a tirade about Michelle Obama's comments that "for the first time in my adult lifetime I am really proud of my country," the 
News Corp. has only 
Fox News' Bill O'Reilly 
I think CNBC will feel threatened by FBN and continue to respond by offering conservative-leaning and big-business-boosterish coverage. Meanwhile FBN will use its well-practiced brand of Amen Chorus stories that both demonize the enemy -- in this case CNBC -- while appearing to support the voiceless, powerless little guy. If I ran CNBC, I would focus primarily on giving my core audience more of what it wants and not try to imitate FBN through patriotic-sounding stories.
Suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick's best chance at public redemption lies with Oprah Winfrey. At least that's the conclusion of Detroit Free Press columnist 
Liberals from the coffee houses of Cambridge to the wine bars of San Francisco cackled with joy when they learned that Fox News had shelved the 
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